Break the Bow

February 17, 2023 By in Contentment, Trust 2 Comments

“He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.” (Psalm 46:9)

Recently, I was becoming upset and discouraged over something that I had no power to change.

You know what I mean …

You start down the road of “what if this” and “what if that”?

As I was wrestling with the situation I felt the Lord say, “He breaketh the bow.”

At first, I didn’t know what that meant so I did some digging.

The Hebrew word for bow in Psalm 46 refers to a bow that is used for war and is a symbol of strength and power. To “break the bow” means to put the enemy into submission.

According to Clark’s commentary, “He breaketh the bow” also implies that God “has rendered useless all the implements of war; and so profound and secure is the general tranquility, that the bow may be safely broken, the spear snapped asunder, and the chariot burnt in the fire.”

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Organic Church Dead Ends

August 30, 2012 By in Church Planting, Fellowship, Great Commission, Institutional Church, Kingdom of God, Organic Church, Postmodern 75 Comments

I’ve been thinking a lot about why significant segments of the organic church community in the Western hemisphere have failed to achieve Biblical viability – becoming instead anemic, self-focused and insular.

Even a casual observer must acknowledge that “organic” or “simple” churches in the West (unlike other parts of the world) seldom exhibit dynamic spiritual power; consistent reproduction, growth and maturity; or tangible, transforming impact.

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Finding Ekklesia

August 11, 2012 By in Church Planting, Community, Fellowship, Gifts, Institutional Church, Organic Church 37 Comments

Several weeks ago, I was asked how to find “ekklesia” (the Greek word in the New Testament often translated as “church”).

Many today are frustrated because they can’t seem to find authentic fellowship, or feel stuck in the “wilderness” after leaving the institutional church.

As I’ve thought about this, it’s been hard for me to know how to respond. The last thing anyone needs is another “program”, “method” or “three easy steps” to find something that God designed to be authentically birthed, and sustained, organically.

You see, God intends that life reproduce life. That principle is built into the very fabric of creation. Like all things that impart life, real ekklesia is organic, through and through.

And by “organic”, I mean simply this: The authentic and diverse life of Christ in me, which is then expressed among us and through us as we become the wonderful, dynamic, multi-gifted and participatory Body of Christ.

The key to finding this, I think, is found in those two words: authentic and diverse.

So here’s my response on how to find ekklesia, rooted in my own experience of finding, and then helping others find, real life and real fellowship – not as one who’s arrived, but simply as one who has been on the path maybe a little longer.

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Hope

March 21, 2023 By in Contentment, Patience, Prayer Leave a comment

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when the desire comes, it is the tree of life.”  Proverbs 13:12

What is hope? According to Webster’s dictionary,  it is “desire with expectation.” We all have different hopes. They might center around our children, our future, our desire to serve the Lord, our health, our finances or numerous other possibilities.

The one thing these hopes have in common is that heartfelt desire that they happen.  Some of our hopes are merely carnal, but many hopes have been embedded in our hearts by the Lord.

So we pray – sometimes for years – and often it seems as if the Lord has not heard those prayers. Discouragement creeps in and we start to believe that what we hope for will never happen. We wonder if the situation will ever change.

However, change does occur. As we pray the Lord is changing us! Fervent prayer enables us to focus on His goodness, faithfulness and trustworthiness. Christ focused prayer empowers us – through it we can jettison self.

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Promise of Spring

January 27, 2023 By in Hope 4 Comments

The winter landscape is beautiful when you gaze on white, glistening snow. You experience God’s majesty as you view His creation.

Winter, however, also brings cold, rainy, dreary weather and you wonder if the sun will ever come out.

Both describe the winter season.

Sometimes our lives feel the same way. We can have glorious highs with the Lord but also deep valleys.

When I walk in our yard during January, at times I’ll see daffodils emerging if we’ve had an unusual warm spell. Occasionally you can even see the flower buds.

Daffodils are extremely resilient. They survive frigid temperatures without any injury to the bulbs. For me, daffodils proclaim the promise of spring because they always bloom no matter how many storms they’ve endured.

The “promise of spring” is also crucial in our spiritual lives.

Like daffodils, Bible scholars say there are more than 8,000 promises in the Bible. 

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Fireball

December 17, 2022 By in Hope, Trust Leave a comment

Have you ever felt like you were hit by a fireball and then exploded? Sometimes life is like that and we wonder where God is in the midst of the explosion.

What are we supposed to do when the barrage hits? Our initial response might be to duck and hope it goes away. Some people might rely on alcohol or drugs to deaden the pain. What would the Lord want us to do?

A fireball can wear many faces …

Financial difficulties, marriage struggles, death of a loved one, a friend’s betrayal, illness, unanswered questions.

The list of possibilities is endless and the fireball could just be one or there might be a volley of fireballs. 

When Job was in the midst of the horrendous fireballs in his life, he said,”Though He slay me, yet will I trust.” (Job 13:15) Trust is difficult when it seems like our life is unraveling and our heart is shattered. Trust is reliance on the Lord’s strength. In the midst of the turmoil, we usually do not have much strength so it is imperative that we put our hope and trust in the Lord.

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The Plowshare

November 4, 2022 By in Contentment, Peace, Trust 2 Comments

Once upon a time a farmer surveyed his fields. As he looked, all he could see was the devastation left from the storm. His crops were ruined. What was he supposed to do? Was it too late to replant? 

Totally discouraged he prayed, “O Lord, give me wisdom, strength and peace. I don’t know what I should do?” Suddenly he heard, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10) 

As he pondered the word from the Lord, he realized that “Be still” was an inner attitude, not inaction. It definitely did not mean – do nothing!

Yes, he would have to clean up the damage from the storm, but when that was completed the farmer was unsure of his next step.

A week passed and the debris had been removed. “Be still” remained his focus. He rested, prayed and spent extra time with his family.

He had peace that he was following the Lord’s instructions. Meanwhile, his fields remained fallow (unplanted). 

His family and friends kept asking him what he was going to do. He replied that he was trusting the Lord and trying to “Be still.”

He sharpened his tools and got his farm machinery ready. Still his fields remained fallow. By now it was too late to replant.

He studied about the Israelite farmers in the Old Testament. They were commanded to let their fields lie fallow during the seventh year. “Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyards and gather the fruit thereof. But the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath unto the Lord.” (Lev 25:3-4) 

He came to understand that the fallow field year was a time of refreshing. He experienced the Lord’s peace and goodness.

He understood that the Lord had him in His hands. He learned to savor this special time with the Lord.

Then spring came. The Lord told the farmer it was time to “break up his fallow ground.” (Hosea 10:12) The farmer got his sharpened plowshare and joyfully began to till his fields. He was now in a new season…. And so it is with us.

Sometimes we get frustrated or discouraged when it seems the Lord does not allow us to plant. Sometimes He has us in a season of rest and trust. Pushing against the restraints often brings more frustrations, but when we decide to be still, and know that He is God, we discover that He really is able. When He is ready to restart our growing season, He, Himself, will take His plowshare. He will cut through the weeds that have been in our lives. 

The new season might look different than the past, but that’s okay. Life is not stagnant. Are you willing to be in a fallow season?

Being fallow is beneficial to both the soil and the soul. The Lord uses it to restore and refresh. If you allow Him, the Master Gardener will lovingly enable your life to grow, prosper and flourish for His kingdom. Are you willing?

~Marianne Wright

Walk with Me in the Garden

January 29, 2022 By in Peace, Prayer Leave a comment

“Then the man and the woman heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day…” (Gen. 3:8) Oh, what a delight this must have been for Adam and Eve! Walking in the garden was probably a fulfilling, tranquil every day experience. Then sin changed the equation.

I believe that the Lord still wants us to walk in the garden with Him. No, we don’t live in the original Garden of Eden. We live in a world containing joy and sorrow, blessings and curses.

A few days ago I felt like the Lord said, “Walk with Me in the garden.” So I started wondering how can I be obedient and accomplish that goal? If the Lord asks us to do something, then it must be achievable.

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Fellowship

March 4, 2021 By in Confession, Fellowship, Forgiveness Leave a comment

What is fellowship?

Koinonia is the Greek word most closely related to New Testament fellowship. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament defines it as “fellowship, association, community, communion or joint participation.” Koinonia embraces the idea of a close knit community where people are invested in one another.

Christian fellowship usually occurs in a small group where people can openly share their thoughts, insights and concerns with one another. Fellowship could be an “official” meeting at a set time and place or it could be two friends eating lunch together.

True fellowship, however, involves being willing to be transparent.

Transparency – oh, that can be hard.

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The Itch

January 23, 2021 By in Healing, Struggles, Trust 2 Comments

Sometimes life is like an itch. An itch can either be small like a mosquito bite or large like a rash that encompasses areas of the body. Everyone knows you should not scratch something that itches because it only intensifies the problem. Everyone also knows that it is a challenge not to scratch. The more you mess with it, the worse it becomes. Sometimes it bleeds, oozes or gets infected. Depending on the cause, it can often spread. The itchiness becomes your focus, even when you try to ignore it.

Our lives are often the same. The “itch” might be a person, an upcoming decision, a sin in our life, a poor choice, resentment, bitterness or unforgiveness. The possibilities are endless and just like a physical itch the spiritual itch can consume us. You might find yourself constantly rehashing what happened, mentally creating “worst case scenarios” or gossiping to justify your version. You might even complain in “great holiness” to the Lord about the unfairness. This merely intensifies the pain and itchiness.

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Though He Slay Me

November 16, 2020 By in Faith, Struggles, Trust 1 Comment

“Though He slay me …” Job 13:15 

Have you ever wondered how Job must have felt when he went through his trials? His friends made fun of him. He lost his health, family and possessions. He lost everything and it appeared that God had abandoned him. His situation looked hopeless. Yet Job never turned his back on God. Instead he proclaimed, “Yet will I trust in Him.”

Trusting in the Lord when trials and tribulations come into our lives is a daunting task. Often, self wants to have a pity party. Sometimes we whine and complain to our friends. Sometimes we just hold it in and worry. None of these are a “trusting in the Lord” response. 

Trials will come into our lives. That is a guarantee. James 1:2 reminds us to, “consider it pure joy … whenever you face trials of many kinds.” 1 Peter 1:2 says we should rejoice when we suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

Thankfully, when trials come into our lives, the calamity is usually not as extreme as the one Job faced. However, we can still feel worried, hopeless and sometimes abandoned. Overwhelmed by emotions, decisions or uncertainty, we can often feel like the Lord is not listening to our prayers.

It is hard when the Lord is silent. Job did not have the Lord encouraging him as his friends expressed their dark opinions. Elijah discovered that God was in the gentle whisper rather than the wind, earthquake or fire. I believe that it is often challenging to wait for the gentle whisper. Too often we feel consumed by the wind, earthquake and fire.

When you are in the midst of the tempest, pour your heart out to the Lord. He never forsakes us. In fact, I believe He takes delight in our coming to Him. He is the Father listening to His children’s concerns. He orchestrates the best for His children, even when it seems like that is not happening. He uses these trials to mold us into His character, if we let Him. He is our Daddy God who loves us with an immeasurable love.

“If God is for us, who can stand against us?” (Romans 8:31)

~ Marianne Wright

The Gate

April 27, 2020 By in Brokenness, Redemption, Repentance, Sin Leave a comment

Gates have many functions. They provide an entrance or secure an area. When opened they allow access or can signal the beginning of a race. In Biblical times the gate to a city was the seat of governmental and business transactions.

26-ideas-for-garden-gates-and-garden-gates-the-first-to-welcome-us-22-839We each have gates in our own lives. One of my favorite gates is in the book, The Secret Garden, by ‎Frances Hogsdon Burnett. This gate leads into a magical garden that initially is dead and unfruitful, but overtime transforms into an exquisite garden filled with beauty and healing.

I have been the dead, brown, lifeless garden. The Lord in His infinite mercy has, over the years, planted His flowers into my life to also transform me. Sometimes though, He allows us to go through seasons where we find ourselves severely pruned back and we are like the garden in winter – waiting for spring. The good news is that spring always, eventually comes and we see the glorious results of His drastic garden maintenance.

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The Pathway

March 25, 2020 By in Courage, Faith, Trust 3 Comments

Once upon a time there was a little girl who had to stay in the castle because a great malady had come over the land. She filled her days with reading books and spending time with the Lord. He became her best friend. They would have deep conversations.

forest-clearingOne day He asked the little girl if she would like to go on an adventure with Him. She enthusiastically responded and asked where they would go. He told the little girl to trust Him, took her hand and said, “Follow me.” 

Soon they came to the edge of the forest. The woods were thick and wet from the recent rain. The little girl hesitated because it seemed like there was no way to pass through the thick undergrowth. The Lord, sensing her dilemma, told the little girl to just trust because there is always a way. As He held her hand they both stepped in the underbrush. Continue reading →

The Web

February 28, 2018 By in Hope, Patience 2 Comments

Spider webs are beautifully and intricately woven. They are incredibly strong, and for the spider’s prey, very deadly.  If you brush up against one unexpectedly, you might involuntarily shudder; but when the sun shines on a dew-covered web, you marvel at its spider web 2exquisiteness. It is the exact same web seen from two different perspectives. Webs can be a protection or they can lead to destruction.

Most people have probably heard the story of the soldier who hid in the cave while he anticipated being captured by the enemy. Then a spider wove a web across the entrance. The enemy did not enter the cave because the web gave the appearance that the cave had been unoccupied for a long time. The spider’s web became the man’s protection.

When the Lord creates our web, He can use it to shield and protect us. Sometimes, we need to retreat or regroup for a short time. Often, when I am in a “Wait” season, I feel like I am enclosed in a dark cave of uncertainty with a subsequent lack of direction. For me, waiting is difficult. It’s not that I feel like I’m floundering, but it is hard to not have a clear direction especially when it concerns important, life changing decisions.

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Justice and Redemption

January 12, 2018 By in Abusive Pastor, Jail, Justice, Repentance Leave a comment

Yesterday, I stood firm for justice on behalf of victims and their families in a criminal trial against an unrepentant youth pastor who molested children.

He was convicted and hauled away in restraints.

Today, I’ll go into the local jail to stand firm for redemption by encouraging and strengthening in the Lord a group of men who are repentant and not playing games …

Like using God and “church” to shield their guilt.

They are forgiven and finding freedom.

Those who think there is a contradiction between seeking justice and ministering redemption, understand neither …

Or my passion for both.

~ Jim Wright

See Related Stories:

Jury Convicts Manassas Megachurch Youth Leader of Sex Crimes, by Hannah Dellinger, Fauquier Times

Sexual Predation and Pedophilia at The Life Church in Manassas, Virginia, by Fulcrum Minisistries, Nathan’s Voice

Seeking Justice 

July 8, 2016 By in Redemption 1 Comment

Early in my legal career I volunteered to help, for free, some victims of white-on-black police brutality in inner city Baltimore.

Unfortunately, there were no smartphones back then to record such oppression and violence, and so in those days justice was seldom served.

It was a rude awakening for this naïve country boy who grew up knowing only good cops, and the oppression I witnessed deeply impacted me.

All this came rushing back watching recent events unfold.

If we feel no righteous rage over continued senseless violence against blacks by bad cops in bad departments …

If we feel no righteous rage over senseless violence against good cops in retaliation …

Then we are part of the problem.

Let’s be ministers of reconciliation, because we don’t advance the need for justice in one case …

By minimizing the need for justice in the other.

~ Jim Wright

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Simple Organic Church and the Existential Fringe

January 1, 2016 By in Existentialism, Felicity Dale, Frank Viola, House Church, Organic Church, Simple Church 7 Comments

Haven’t the repeated failures by the existential fringe of the “organic” church movement – with authors like Felicity Dale, Frank Viola, Milt Rodriguez, Jon Zens, Keith Giles and their buddies – made it abundantly clear?

Without the plenary authority of Scripture, simple participatory churches don’t succeed.

Snake Oil SalesmenThese fringe authors dismiss the plenary authority and discipline of Scripture – and in some cases even deny that the Bible is His written word – to peddle a Jesus of their own perception.

Their false Christ – who is little more than a projection of their own “deeper life” angst, post-modern sensibilities and trans-Biblical agendas – inevitably leads to dysfunctional, insular and anemic “communities”.

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The Impossible

December 21, 2015 By in Prayer, Struggles 2 Comments

Often it seems that the Lord places “the impossible” directly in our path and nothing we can do will change or alleviate the circumstances.

impossible giraffe“The impossible” are situations totally out of our control and they frequently converge within our normal everyday life. At times like these we have to look beyond what we can do. Our solutions are so finite, whereas His solutions are eternal.

Recently I have been pondering “the impossible” since it seems like the Lord is illuminating two impossible situations. Sometimes it is hard to know how to pray because there is nothing that I can do to change them. I might be able to give some advice, but in reality, my input can do nothing to alter the outcomes. They are literally and figuratively life and death.

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Elders

September 5, 2015 By in Bible, Discernment, Elder, Spiritual Disciplines 1 Comment

I get it: A confused generation of young millennials raised to believe they’re the center of the universe keep trying to create a Christ of their own perception by shunning the plenary authority of His written word.

What I don’t get are those who should be old enough to know better, but don’t.

It’s time for those who do know better to start acting like grown ups once again in the Body of Christ.

~ Jim Wright

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Insane Church

August 14, 2015 By in Church, Culture, Great Commission 1 Comment

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.

Seriously, can anyone defend “church” as a carefully produced weekly “service” that feeds the need for affirmation through a staged “sermon” which mimics secular “motivational” speakers and staged “worship” which mimics intense pop concerts?

Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all nations, not entertain the masses by catering to a culture which craves emotional affirmation and intensity – then calling it “God”.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8

Let us return to the Lord, and His ways, once again.

~ Jim Wright

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Non Sequiturs of a Postmodern Jesus

August 5, 2015 By in Bible, Existentialism, Postmodern, Sovereignty, Truth 2 Comments

Non sequiturs¹ Jesus never said …

(But are implicit among those who jettison scripture to create a postmodern² Jesus of their own perception):

Non Sequitur

Non Sequitur

“It’s about relationship …

So forget obedience.”

“All scripture points to me …

So your own perceptions of me trump any scripture that offends you.”

“I am the living word …

So you no longer need to submit to the authority and discipline of my written word.”

“‘Be holy as I am holy’…

Now means ‘I am postmodern as you are postmodern’.”

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Going to Church or Being the Church?

August 2, 2015 By in Church, Community, Gifts, Institutional Church, Organic Church, Simple Church 1 Comment

When you “go to church” these days, it seems that staged teachings and “worship” performances by the “anointed” few during Sunday “services” have become substitutes for the diverse gifts and “one another” imperatives of the New Testament.

When you truly “are the church”, however, shared teachings, songs and diverse gifts arise among us – each and every one – by encouraging and strengthening “one another” in the Lord as functional communities which gather together.

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